Public Management MSc/PGDip/PGCert

This programme, which aims to build knowledge, skills and confidence for careers in the public service, is an updated version of our market-leading MSc in Public Service Management. It is aimed at both experienced practitioners from the public and voluntary sectors and those wishing to embark on a career in public service.

Details

Today's public practitioners must demonstrate clear understanding in the management of public services and contemporary public policy. They must also be able to offer confident leadership in formulating and implementing appropriate strategies to address them. For more than 40 years the Institute of Local Government Studies has been providing a range of programmes to meet these needs.

The programme provides an opportunity for you to develop your understanding of democratic governance and the challenges of improving performance and co-ordinating public services and governmental processes. You will reflect on the changing demands affecting public organisations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, building your knowledge base, leadership skills and self-confidence.

Who is the programme for?

Our Public Management programme is aimed at both experienced practitioners from the public and voluntary sectors and those wishing to embark on a career in public service.

This programme, builds knowledge, skills and confidence for careers in the public service, government and associated sectors. It is aimed at both experienced practitioners from the public and voluntary sectors and those wishing to embark on a career in public service. We also attract international students seeking to learn about modern public service delivery and recent graduates seeking a further career to underpin a future career in the public sector.

The programme can be studied part-time over two / three years or full-time in one year. Modules are scheduled particularly to suit part-time study in taught units on campus. These are usually taught over blocks units of two of three consecutive days at our dedicated postgraduate teaching accommodation at the University of Birmingham. In response to work pressures on hard-pressed practitioners, we also deliver some of our material using online teaching and assessment methods – blending both personal contact when on-campus with the ability to work from home.

Pay-as-you-go

Participants may opt for a pay-as-you-go approach rather than apply for a whole programme. Providing you complete the requisite number of core modules, you can develop your programme as you progress through your study – adding flexibility of study with your ability to pay. All requisite modules must be completed within six years.

You can build up a programme by taking the appropriate number of credits for each type of programme: Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits); Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) or Masters Degree (180 credits).

If you have already completed individual modules as an 'occasional student', these can be counted towards further study.

Are you an employer?

If you are an employer seeking to send a group of participants or seeking to develop a version of this programme to be delivered at your own premises, please contact Philip Whiteman on special rates and specifications: p.whiteman@bham.ac.uk.

Specialist pathways

Specialist pathways are also available for individuals seeking a more focussed programme in Public Management:

Modules

Participants are required to take at least four core modules towards your MSc/PG Dip programme (or three for PG Cert programmes). Beyond that, you can select optional modules taught throughout the College of Social Sciences, that appeal to your interests and to bolster specialisms related to current or future career interests.

60 credits - Dissertation – you focus in depth on a topic of particular interest, with support from a dissertation supervisor (MSc only)

* Compulsory module for Certificate participants

Optional modules from the following:

Students can undertake optional modules from within INLOGOV (see list below). Further optional modules are also available from elsewhere within the College of Social Sciences, for example from the Health Services Management Centre, Institute of Applied Social Studies, International Development Department or The Birmingham Business School.

Entry requirements

The normal admission requirement for our other taught postgraduate programmes is a good first degree or an equivalent professional qualification. Subject to interview (and sometimes to a special test) candidates without a first degree may be admitted. Candidates without such qualifications who wish to complete an MSc may initially be registered for a Graduate Certificate/Diploma, and then, subject to satisfactory performance, their registration will be upgraded to Postgraduate level (Certificate/Diploma or MSc).

How to apply

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

Learning and teaching

Our approach to teaching and learning is participant-centred in two ways. First, the programme explores and makes links between the ideas, models and skills for public service and participants' own work experiences and organisational contexts. As a result, participants' contributions, in the form of discussion and exploration of case studies are particularly important and assist in the creation of an educational environment in which a significant component of the learning derives through interactions between programme participants.

Second, we recognise that different individuals learn best in different ways. Some will prefer lecture inputs for the frameworks, theoretical perspectives and challenge to thinking that these can provide. Others will tend to favour the more practical sessions and/or the time spent in syndicates with colleagues exchanging experiences and perspectives on issues under consideration or in addressing specific tasks, case studies and problem-solving.

Typically modules are assessed through a variety of essay-type and project-based assignments. From the outset, we provide participants with clear guidance on assessment work and individualised tutorial support is available throughout the programme to help each participant make the most of their studies with us. Participants studying at Masters level will be expected to write a dissertation – this may be linked to activities at their workplace.

Facilities

Departments from across the School of Government and Society are all based within the recently refurbished Muirhead Tower. Following a £50million refurbishment, Muirhead Tower offers state-of-the-art teaching and research study facilities including free wifi throughout the building and dedicated study areas for postgraduate research students.

Muirhead Tower comprises 12,000sq.m of floor space between two towers. The tower includes a number of sustainable features including solar shading (known in the trade as brise soliel) to control temperatures, as well as low energy fans; timed lighting to reduce energy waste; natural ventilation systems and a heat source taken from the University’s combined heat and power generator.

The space has been designed to create modern, attractive spaces for teaching and research accommodating 150 academic offices, 230 "hubs" for post graduate research students, teaching rooms for up to 100 people and a 200 seat lecture theatre.

Employability

Careers

Typical paths include career progression within the public sector with the participant’s aspirations being more saleable with a supporting qualification. Transferability of skills also supports participants to change organisations or pathways within public and related sectors.

The qualifications will also support postgraduates seeking an entirely new career within the public sector, such as management.